


The Inner Workings of a Ghost Story

by Killmongerrrr



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: 5 Times, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, First chapter is a bit short but the rest won’t be as short once I figure out where to go with this., Gen, Ghosts, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, no beta we die like ben
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:34:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23573203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Killmongerrrr/pseuds/Killmongerrrr
Summary: 5 times Ben did stereotypical ghost things, and 1 time he was almost human.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & The Hargreeves
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	The Inner Workings of a Ghost Story

**Author's Note:**

> Quarantine has me bored af, so take this random series I thought of.

1.

They were arguing, of course. They’d always been lately, what with Klaus getting sober and all. He’d been so unstable lately— would flinch and huff and become upset at the drop of the hat. But to be completely honest, this spat had admittedly been his fault. Five had sent them on an errand to get intel on the apocalypse from some guy in Michigan, who’d apparently defected from the Commission not too long ago. The guy had apparently hunkered down some months after they’d “stopped” the apocalypse, and was offering help in exchange for protection from the commission. Five had readily accepted, and had sent them to retrieve the guy. Diego dreaded having to do another round of apocalypse bullshit, but Five’s weird ass equations (no matter how much they didn’t make sense to him) didn’t lie, which meant apocalypse shit  wasn’t  done with. Diego of course insisted Klaus come with him, but only because he hadn’t gotten out of the house in over a week. Five had immediately agreed, and with Klaus’s powers improving lately they’d stopped leaving him out as much.

Of course, Klaus agreed. He had some weird complex about not letting others see how weak he was, which Diego could honestly relate to. No matter how much Klaus rebelled against and despised their dad, he was still deeply affected by the shit that’d been instilled in them during childhood.

It was well into the night time that the argument started. Diego had wanted to play some music, but Klaus had continuously tried to shut it off to Diego’s dismay. 

“God can you just fucking shut it off?” Klaus finally yelled. “I have a headache!” 

“If you felt sick, you could’ve just stayed home.” Diego muttered, his fingers flexing on the steering wheel as he drove. It was dark out, and even with his headlights on it was hard to see. 

“I’m not sick.” Klaus insisted. “I’m just- god you’re the one who insisted anyway!” 

“Yeah well you always have a choice!” Diego snapped. “You always fucking do that— you make bad choices then blame it on everyone else!”

Klaus rolled his eyes. “Oh so we’re going there?” He shook his head. “You act like I’m the only one! You constantly berate everyone and act holier than thou then fucking- get so upset when it blows up in your face!”

“Yeah well I’m allowed to act holier than thou. You-“ he cuts himself off before he says something he can’t take back. 

“No say it! Say exactly what you’re thinking.” Klaus says, throwing his hands up. “I’m a fuck-up junkie right? I can’t do  _ shit  _ right?” He continues then laughs like it’s a fucking joke. “At least I’m not the one  trying  so hard to act better than they already are!”

“What is that suppose to mean?” 

“I don’t know,  _Number_ _two_ , what do you fucking  think it me-“

Before he can say anymore, he’s interrupted by Ben heaving himself through the space between the driver and passenger’s seat and letting out an awful scream. His skin is ashen and dead, and blood is matted in his hair. 

He’d seen Ben before when Klaus conjured him, but never that—  _ dead _ .

Diego swerves, and the car goes off the road, but he’s able to regain control before he does any damage. Vaguely, he registers Klaus screaming— which is reduced to sobbing just as Ben disappears from sight. 

“I’m sorry.” Klaus says, frantic— and he’s not sure if he’s apologizing to him or Ben. 

Diego breathes out a relieved sigh and wrings his hands, before turning back to see if Ben is still in the backseat. He’s not. There’s nothing left behind. Then he leans back in his seat and stares ahead, almost as if in some form of late shock.

“I’m sorry, Diego.” Klaus repeats, his face buried in his palms. “I shouldn’t have— I’ve just been having such a bad— I’m sorry.” 

“It’s ok.” Diego whispers, then curls his arm around Klaus’s neck and pulls him against his shoulder. “I’m sorry too.” 

Klaus laughs wetly, then sniffs. “First time for everything.”

It isn’t until they start driving again that Diego once again sees Ben, standing on the side of the road and watching them as they drive off. 

When he checks his rear view mirror, he’s gone.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment and tell me if you like the first chapter so far! I have a bunch planned out for this series, but so far this is just me testing the waters to see if y’all fuck with it.


End file.
